Behold beryllium, an exceptionally light, strong metal that is both prized and poisonous. Found in minerals such as emeralds and other forms of beryl, beryllium is highly conductive to heat and electricity, nonmagnetic, capable of great elasticity, and impervious to a wide range of temperatures, making it a favored material for aerospace projects such as space shuttles and satellites.
In this video you will discover the element’s ancient and atomic histories with host Ron Hipschman!

Cities are known to produce a lot of light pollution, making it a challenge for astronomy enthusiasts to view the heavens within city limits. For us in the SF Bay Area, these issues apply, however, exciting results can still be attained between sky gazing and learning about how we all fit into this big thing we call "space".
Urban Astronomer Paul Salazar, The Exploratorium's very own Adam Esposito and more demonstrate how to deal with the parameters and the unforgettable experiences that await with simple to no equipment, the right conditions, and some decent timing.

As a special event in conjunction with the 2009 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, we connected a live audience at the Exploratorium with scientists at the South Pole. Learn about atmospheric research at the South Pole from NOAA's Nick Morgan, the IceCube neutrino detector from Mark Krasberg and Laura Gladstone, and the South Pole Telescope from Bill Holzapfel.

Is water ice present or absent in a crater near the moon's south pole? NASA’s Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission is seeking a definitive answer. Join Exploratorium staff for a special Webcast featuring live coverage of LCROSS crashing into the moon! Our team will be broadcasting live from the 36" Refractor Telescope at Lick Observatory on Mt. Hamilton, where we’ll watch the impact and investigate how this intentional crash could reveal the existence of water ice.

On May 11, 2009, the space shuttle Atlantis was launched from the Kennedy Space Center and docked with the Hubble Space Telescope 360 miles above the earth. During Servicing Mission 4 (SM4), astronauts installed new, cutting-edge scientific instruments and replaced gyroscopes, batteries, and other equipment. After a difficult but very successful upgrade of the telescope, the astronauts released Hubble on May 19. The Exploratorium Webcast team will bring you two live Webcasts (May 20 & May 23) about this arduous mission and the future of the telescope.

On May 11, 2009, the space shuttle Atlantis was launched from the Kennedy Space Center and docked with the Hubble Space Telescope 360 miles above the earth. During Servicing Mission 4 (SM4), astronauts installed new, cutting-edge scientific instruments and replaced gyroscopes, batteries, and other equipment. After a difficult but very successful upgrade of the telescope, the astronauts released Hubble on May 19. The Exploratorium Webcast team will bring you two live Webcasts (May 20 & May 23) about this arduous mission and the future of the telescope.

Webcasts made possible through the generosity of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Jim Clark Endowment for Internet Education, the McBean Family Foundation.

Bandwidth and infrastructure support for connectivity to the California Research and Education Network and to other Internet2-connected networks provided by the Corporation for Educational Networks Initiatives in California (CENIC).